Edinburgh Science, founded in 1989, is an educational charity. It organises a two-week Edinburgh's annual Science Festival, the world's first public celebration of science and technology, and still one of Europe's largest. Alongside the annual Festival in Edinburgh, the organisation has a strong focus on education and runs touring programme Generation Science that visits schools around Scotland throughout the year. Edinburgh Science also operates a large-scale international programme of work under the Worldwide arm. It regularly presents events overseas and has been the major programming partner of the annual Abu Dhabi Science Festival, helping to curate, produce, and deliver the event.
Edinburgh Science holds various educational activities and events. Their portfolio includes more than 100 workshops, exhibitions, and shows which are delivered worldwide though festivals, schools outreach, careers events, collaboration projects, and health education programmes.
In January 2019, the organisation changed its name from Edinburgh International Science Festival to Edinburgh Science.
Edinburgh Science Festival
The Edinburgh Science Festival is an annual science festival taking place across the Easter school holidays in Edinburgh. Each year it delivers the UK's largest Science Festival with almost 270 events for families and adults over the course of two weeks. Its programmes include family days out, hands-on activities, talks and discussions. Family Festival goers enjoy five floors of science at City Art Centre, talks with scientists at the Pleasance and hands-on activities and more at the National Museum of Scotland and other partner venues across Edinburgh, including Our Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh Zoo, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and Summerhall.
The Festival was first held in 1989, and its principal sponsors were the City of Edinburgh District Council and the Scottish Executive. Alan Shepard, the first American in space, inaugurated the Festival.
Over the years, Science Festival partners have included the Medical Research Council, SCI-FUN, the University of Edinburgh, Bang Goes The Theory and many more. Dr. Bunhead regularly appears at the Festival. Speakers have included Professor Richard Dawkins, Brian Cox, Professor Sir Ian Wilmut, Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Christiana Figueres and Professor Cordelia Fine.
Edinburgh Medal
The Edinburgh Medal was instituted by the City of Edinburgh District Council in 1988. Each year this prestigious award is given to men and women of science and technology whose professional achievements are judged to have made a significant contribution to the understanding and well-being of humanity. The Medalist then delivers a lecture at the Edinburgh Science Festival.
The 2019 Edinburgh Medal was awarded to Christiana Figueres, for her work as a recognised world leader on global climate change and her efforts in bringing nations together to jointly deliver an unprecedented climate change agreement. Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), was instrumental in the successful conclusion of the Paris talks. The Summit saw all of the world's nations agree for the first time to a binding commitment to avoid dangerous levels of global warming. Figueres served as the UN's Climate Chief from 2010 until July 2016.
Edinburgh Science Learning
Generation Science
Generation Science brings science lessons to classrooms all over Scotland with a programme of shows and hands-on workshops. The tour visits schools across Scotland from January to May each year. All Generation Science shows and workshops are linked to the experiences and outcomes of the Scottish Government's Curriculum for Excellence. The aim is to improve the teaching of science in Scottish primary schools and support teachers to deliver the curriculum. The next Generation Science tour will run from January–May 2020.
Careers Hive
Careers Hive is a careers education event designed to give students in S1-S3 a new way to think about their futures, developed under the leadership of Head of Learning, Joan Davidson. It highlights the opportunities available to those who study STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths), as well as the cross-disciplinary skills and subjects that can support and enhance STEM careers. Careers Hive will run 24–29 February 2020 at the National Museum of Scotland.